Champagne Flashcards
What is Pinot Blanc Vrai?
True Pinot Blanc- a white form of PN
Who was the first person to figure out the right amount of sugar to add so the bottle wouldn’t break?
Andre Francois
Best champagne vintages of the past 20 years
96,2002,2008,2012,2015
Major viticultural concerns in champagne/
Frost
Rain
Fungal Disease
Hail
What is 102/160
The CIVC set in 1992 a max of 102Lof must/160kg of grapes or 2550L/4000kg
4000kg is a marc of grapes or the amount held in a traditional basket press
Who assigns the matriculation number on a bottle of champagne?
CIVC
What is the only AOC/AOP that does NOT need to include the AOC/AOP on the label?
Champagne
Name 4 champagne houses owned by LVMH
Moet
Krug
Veuve
MErcier
Dosage Demi-Sec
32-50
What did the Commission de Chalon transform into?
the CIVC
When does phlox hit?
1890s
What is debourbage?
When the juice settles at a cool temp after pressing for 8-15 hours so that the remaining solids (bourses) in the must can be removed by racking prior to fermentation
What does the CIVC oversee?
Size of Harvest
Authorizes blocage and déblocage (the reserve and release of wine for future vintages)
Safegaurds the designation of Champagne
Until 1990 the CIVC oversaw the price of grapes through the echelle de crus which was a percentile system by which the villages or crus were rated
GC scored 100
1er crus 90-99
Crus are anything less than 90
A 1985 revision made the min 80%
Until 1990 a villages echelle rating was the most they could receive for fruit
After 1990 it was a suggestion
It was abolished in the year 2000
What is the Echelle de Crus
That ranking of 1er and CG villages
3 Rivers of champagne
The Aube
The Seine
The Marne River
What year was the importing of blue bagged Parisian garbage outlawed i champagne?
1998
What are DO major contributions to champagne?
Assemblage (blending) and viticulture
What ingredient is used to fire glass for champagne bottles now? Who invented it
Coal, the english in the late 17th C
What is a major climactic influencer for champagne?
The Atlantic
What did madame barbe-nicole ponsardin oversee the pioneering of?
Remuage (riddling)
Define CM
- Cooperative Manipulant A grower coop that produces wine under a single brand
What is Rose Riceys
100% rose from PN made in Les Riceys in the Aube
What do the shreds of blue plastic in champagne represent
They are left over scraps from imported compost bags showing the slow crawl towards organics/sustainable viticulture
What are the 4 permitted pruning methods in champagne?
Cordon de Royat
Chablis
Vallee de la Marne
Guyot (Double and simple)
How many villages may grow grapes for champagne?
357
What is one thing the champenois colored their wine with in order to compete with the wines of burgundy?
elderberry
Who was the weinfuhrer?
Nazi appointed agent who took up residence at the widow clique’s estate
What year does champagne receive AOC/P
1936
who can claim to be the oldest sparkling champagne house? est. what year?
Ruinart 1729
What is the first 2050L of 2550L of juice called?
Vin de Cuvee
Define Regumage
Riddling- a procedure that easily allows sediment to be removed from the bottle during discouragement
How many villages are GC vs 1er cru in champagne?
17 vs 42
What is Micraster Chalk?
A second layer of chalk named from an extinct sea urchin characterizes the valley vineyards
Describe Belemnite Chalk
Very Pourous, its pushed tot he surface and retains heat to warm the vines at night, yet provides excellent drainage
It is derived from the remains of millions of fossilized cephalopods
What is Deblockage
Release of reserve wine controlled byCIVC
In what year did the French Gov. Delimit champagne?
1908
Dosage Brut
0-12
What is the Commission de Chalon?
A consortium of growers and merchants that formed to develop quality standards and regulate pricing
Name one exceptional champagne vintage pre 1920
1914
What is the mean annual temperature of champagne?
50F
What river cuts through the aube
The Aube river
What is Miller’s Pinot and why is it called that?
Pinot Meunier- Named for the dusty appearance of its leaves
What covers much of the chalk in champagne
Thin layer of clay and sand
What was the first vintage of DP, what did it spark?
1921, the idea of the tete de cuvee
What happened in champagne in 1927
Aube is added back into champagne and the government further defines the region, production and vitiiculture
Define RM
Recoltant Manipulant- 95% must be estate grown
What is the oldest chapagne house still in operation, what year was it founded?
Gosset (1584) was established as a still wine producer
Define RC
Recoltant Cooperateur is a grower who’s wines are made a coop but are bottled under his own label
After 1927, what was the next time the champagne appellation was extended?
2009 from 319 villagess to 357
What is a marc of grapes?
4000kg is a marc of grapes or the amount held in a traditional basket press
What precedes the matriculation number?
The initials of whom made the wine
What was the first vintage of DP?
1921
Describe the formation of the CIVC
Started by Robert-Jean de Vogue of Moet and Chandon win 1941, it was a broader consortium of growers, producers and shippers to protect the market in the face of the Nazis
What is the third pressing of juice after 2550L called?
Rebeche it is 1-10% - it is the legally required third press - it is used for distillation not for champagne
What does the Controls des Structures prohibit?
Any firm from farming more than fifteen owned or rented hectares
What are the three most planted grapes in order/
PN-38
PM-32
Chard-30
What is the prominent grape in the Aube and Montagne de reims?
Pinot Noir
What river cuts through the Cote de Seanne
The Seine River
What does the CIVC stand for?
Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne
Define MA
Marque d’Acheteur- A buyers brand (ie. supermarket or Restaurant) that buys champagne and sells it under its own label
What is the dominant soil type of the Aube/
Clay
Name one cause of major devastation to champagne
WW1
Dosage Extra brut
0-6
Where was DP the cellar master at?
The Abbey of Hautvillers
Where did GC stand in the echelle de crus
100
What is the prominent grape of the Vallee de la marne
PM, more frost hits Vallee de la marne and PM tends to bud late and ripen early!
What year does the word Mousseux first appear and in what context?
1724, implied effervesence
Define Bouxvreux?
Rain that interrupts flowering and causes a second crop, that rarely ripes
Define SR
Society de Recoltants- a firm NOT a coop set up by a union of often related growers who share resources to make their wines and collectively market several brands
Premier crus in the echelle de crus
90-99
Who identified the relationship between sugar and fermentation. In what year?
1801, Jean-Antoine Chaptal
Who is madame barbe-nicole ponsardin?
The widow cliquot
What is the last 500L of 2550L of juice called?
Vin de Taille
Name three other authorized grapes in champagne
Pinot Blanc Vrai
Arbane
Pinot Gris
Petite Meslier
Dosage Extra Dry
12-17
What are the five districts in champagne?
Montagne de Reims- PN Vallee de la marne-PM Cote des Blancs-CH Cote de Sezanne -CH Cote de Bars (Aube)- PN
Who put the first brut champagne on the market/
Pommery “Nature” 1874
7 grapes of champagne
PN PG PB Pinot Meunier Petite Meslier Arbane Chardonnay
Dosage Sec
17-32
Define NM
Negociant Manipulant- A house the purchases grapes and/or base wine
What color may coteaux champenois be made in?
Red white or rose
Talk about champagne fraud
After Phylox hits people start labeling champ on wines sourced from all over france
Define ND
Negociant Distributeur- A middleman company that distributes champagne it did not make
Define Pointage
Shaking to bottle before remerge so that the lees doesn’t stick
Dosage Brut Nature
0-3
When may tirage occur in champagne
Jan 1st
What is the tete de cuvee of Diebolt Vallois
Fluer Passion
DP’s lasting contribution to champagne came from what techniques
Assemblage (blending) and viticulture
What is the oldest chMPgne house still in operation and what is now their tete de cuveee
Gosset (1584, but made mostly still wine)
Celebris
What is the oldest SPARKLING wine house in chapgne
Ruinart 1729
Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin is who and did what
Widow Cliquot- Pioneered riddling (remuage) which allowed the removal of sediment
Who put the first brut champagne on the market and what is now their tete
Pommery (1874)
Cuvee Louise
In what year was champagne region first delimited, when was the second ammendemnt to that
1908 (didn’t include the Aube) then 1927
What year does champagne gain AOC
1936
What is the only region that does not need to include AOC/P on the label
Champagne
Best champagne vintage of the 20th C
1914
What year was the CIVC formed
1941
What year was the final appellation increase in chamapgne
2009, 319-357 villages
Define Bouvreaux
When rain interrupts flowering and creates a 2nd crop that rarely ripens
What is the major soul type of champagne
Belemite chalk with a high limestone content
subsoil of micraster chalk
First vintage of DP
1921
Mean avg temp of champagne
50F
What is the dominant soil type of the aube
Clay
Les Blues de Ville
The blue plastic remaining from the “Composting” of Champagne using paris trash that was OUTLAWED in 1998
Rankt the 3 most planted grapes in champagne
PN, PM, C
In what year did the CIVC se a limit on extraction pressing in chapagne and what was it
1992
102L of Must / 160kg Grapes
or
2550L/4000Kg
4000kg, is what?
A marc of grapes or the amount held by a tradition coquard basket press
4 pruning methods allowed in chamapge
Guyot (Double and single)
Cordon de Royat
Chablis
Vallee de la Marne
Prominent Grape in MdR
Pinot Noir
Prominent grape in the Aube
Pinot Noir
Prominent grape in the Cote de Sezanne
Chardonnay
Prominent grape in Vallee de la Marne and why?
PM- Vallee de la Marne is very frost prone
Define NM
Negociant Manipulant- Purchases grapes but may own their own vineyards (ie. Krug, DP, etc)
Define RM
Recoltant Manipulant- Growers who farm at least 95% of their grapes
Define CM
Cooperative Manipulant- A coop that produces wine under a single brand
Define RC
Recoltant Cooperateur- A grower whos grapes are vinified at a COop, but sells under his own label
Define SR
Societe Recoltant- A firm (NOT COOP) set up by a union of often related growers who share resources to make their wines and collectivly market several brands
Define ND
Negociant Distributeur- A middleman company that distributes champagne they did NOT make
Define MA
Marque d’Aucheteur- A buyers brand (ie. supermarket or restaurant) that purchases champagne and sells it under its own label
The first 2050L of press juice is known as what?
Vin de Cuvee
What is the last 500L of champagne called
Vin de taille
What is the third extraction in champagne known as
Rebeche, it is 1-10% of the press and is required by law. It is used for distillate NOT CHAMPAGNE
Prise de mousse is what?
The 2nd fermentation
What is a bidule
The plastic thing inside the crown top that helps colelect lees
How much alcohol is added with the 2nd ferementation?
1.2-1.3%
Min lees aging for NV champagne
12 mnths+3 months cellar for a total of 15
Define Pointage
Bottles are shaken to keep the lees from sticking to the side of the glass, however newer yeast strains make that less neccessary
What is a Muselet
The wire cage on a champagne cork, twisted 6 half turns
When is transvasage allowed in champagne production
Anything smalller then a 375ml or larger then a jero
Club Tresors - AKA
Special Club
What year was the special club founded
1971
What % of vintage champagne must come from stated vintage
100%
What is the max amount of a years harvest may be sold as Vintage champagne
80%
Where is les Riceys?
In the aube- Must be 100% PN for rose de Ricey
What color can Coteaux Champenois come in
All 3
What is the only french AOP that allows a rose to be produced by blending red and white wine
Champagne
What are the 7 AOP regions for cremant wines made in the traditional method
Cremant de: Bordeaux Bourgogne Loire Limous Die Jura ALsace
Wines from Blanquette de Limoux AOP must be what
Traditional Method
Min 90% Mauzac, Chardonnay & Chenin
In Vouvray, Montlouis, Samur & Vin de Savoie wines must be made in what style and use what terminology
Traditional Method
Mousseux for fully sparkling
Pettillant for lightly sparkling
Name two itialn DOCGs for traditional method sparkling
Franciacorta
Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico
What is another name for Method Ancestrale
Method Rurale
Name three appelation that must make wine in the Ancestrale style
Bugey Cerdon
Clairette de Die Methode Doise Ancestrale
Gaillac Mosseux Mathode Gaillacoise
Asti wines are made in what style and have what legal min of tank aging?
Charmat- legal one month of tank aging
Where might you see the Continous Method/Russian Continuous method used?
German Sekt still uses it sometimes
What is the difference between tank and continuous
Continuous constantly is pumping over lees and adding dosage, more autolytic flavors are present
